Robert B Whitney Jr (1935-2012)

Bob Whitney passed away from cancer at the age of 77 on July 5, 2012.

A man of singular vision, Bob met his wife Helen at the age of 12 in 1947 and they were married in 1958. They bought their first and only primary residence in 1965. Upon leaving the US Army in 1965 he accepted an offer to form Drs Gross, Larson, Whitney & Associates (now known as Medical Imaging Northwest), where he practiced Radiology until his retirement in 1995.

Bob grew up in Amherst Massachusetts, where his father was a professor at Amherst College. Helen, the daughter of a professor at the University of Massachusetts, was raised in neighboring North Amherst. Bob graduated from high school in 1951, from Amherst College in 1955, and from Yale University School of Medicine in 1959. After residency at the University of Minnesota and nine years of reserve and active military duty, including two years at Madigan Army Medical Center, Bob entered private practice.

During his career he was active in local, state and national medical organizations, as well as many hospital and community volunteer boards and committees. He served as a board member and President of Pierce County Medical Blue Shield, and as a board member and President of the Western Conference of Prepaid Medical Plans; and as Vice President of the Board of Charles Wright Academy.

In retirement he really got busy! Always a voracious reader, Bob continued his focus on lifelong learning, music and theater. His service included volunteer and board activities for Tacoma Actors Guild, Northwest Sinfonietta, City Club of Tacoma, and Franke Tobey Jones. He was a volunteer for the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County, and was active in choir and committee activities at University Place Presbyterian Church.

His passions included soccer (which he refereed for twenty years), sailing (cruising and racing on Puget Sound), and railroad travel throughout the world.